Leon Haslam emerged victorious in the opening MCE Insurance
British Superbike Championship race of the triple-header weekend at
Oulton Park. The intense Showdown deciding weekend produced a
historic race one for the JG Speedfit Kawasaki team who completely
locked out the podium for the first time with James Ellison in
second place ahead of Peter Hickman.

At the start of the race Shane 'Shakey' Byrne hit the front of
the pack from the pole position, but Ellison was instantly on the
attack and had captured the lead before the stream of riders
reached Clay Hill for the first time.

Ellison was then leading Byrne, Haslam and a fighting Tommy
Bridewell, with fellow Showdown contenders Luke Mossey, Peter
Hickman, Michael Laverty and Richard Cooper in hot pursuit. As
Bridewell made a bid to move up the order, the Bennetts Suzuki
rider crashed out heavily, he was able to get to his feet, but that
now puts him out of Showdown contention.

At the front Haslam was hounding Ellison for the lead and took
the advantage at Lodge on the ninth lap to force his team-mate back
to second with Byrne sitting in third place. The trio had made a
break at the front, but a huge moment for Byrne on the exit of
Hislop chicane saw the championship leader take to the gravel and
rejoin in ninth place.

It was a disastrous race too for Showdown contender Christian
Iddon who crashed out at Brittens on the ninth lap and he now lies
35 points off sixth place in the standings with a maximum of 50 up
for grabs in the two races tomorrow.

Glenn Irwin was another rider to crash out of contention, but
the Be Wiser Ducati rider was able to walk away from his tumble at
Lodge on the ninth lap.

Haslam was fending off his team-mate Ellison, but behind Hickman
had taken advantage of Byrne's mistake after getting the better of
Jason O'Halloran and Mossey to move up into third place and despite
pressure in the latter stages, he held the final podium
position.

O'Halloran held fourth ahead of his team-mate Dan Linfoot, who
still holds fifth place in the overall standings, with just a
single point separating him and sixth placed Michael Laverty who
finished in eighth position.